It's already the end of October, and everywhere there are signs of magic. There is no debate that this season, at least in this part of the world, is the most magical of the year. Over the space of just a few weeks, summer has melted into Autumn. Even though the temperature is cooler, the colors are warmer. Supermarkets have rows and rows of large orange pumpkins outside. The seasonal fruits and vegetables have changed from corn and zucchini, to squash and rosy apples. Shorts and t-shirts have disappeared and been replaced with long-sleeved, warmer tops, and long pants, with the occasional wooly scarf or cute wooly hat. All this change and preparation is like getting ready for a performance on stage (1): the scenery and the costumes. And of course, I can't forget to mention(2) the backdrop of all of this: the trees. We are fortunate in Wenatchee to have many of them, and a large percentage of what we have are deciduous. Orange, yellow, pink, and red are everywhere you look, and the pretty colorful leaves are all over the place, like the litter from a party, still blowing around on the floor. Of course it's all a result of the natural process of the shorter days and cooler weather depriving the leaves of green chlorophyll. When that starts to disappear, the other pigments show up. But the logic of the process makes it no less(3) magical and mysterious. Change is beautiful, a good thing, and we certainly see that in Autumn. If I had more time, I would lie under a tree and just stare at it for hours. 1. Details to do with a stage performance: a. 'The costumes' - the clothes that the actors wear. b. 'Scenery' - the setting of the scene, its place, furniture etc c. 'Backdrop' - a large cloth at the back of the stage that is part of the scenery, for example: a forest scene or an office wall. 2. 'I can't forget to mention'/ 'I mustn't forget to mention' is very common in UK. Of course, 'to forget to' can be followed by any verb. a. I can't forget to mention how polite and helpful his son was. b. You mustn't forget to mention to the builder that the roof is crooked! 3. 'No less' is used in a couple of ways. Here in the podcast it is used as if I wished to say 'not less'. a. Today is rainy, but no less spectacular than yesterday when it was dry. b. He is quieter than his brother, but no less intelligent. 'No less' is sometimes used at the end of a sentence to show surprise, admiration, or sarcasm. a. He has been invited to lunch by the queen, no less! b. He took control of the plane when the pilot fainted, and landed it successfully on a hill, no less! c. Well, he has passed his bachelor's, and after only 7 years in university no less.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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